Keynote SpeakersLewis Pugh is an inspirational speaker, endurance swimmer and UN Patron of the Oceans.
He is the first person to complete a long-distance swim in every ocean of the world.
Over a period of 30 years, Lewis has pioneered swims in the most challenging environments on earth, developing an understanding of the beauty and fragility of life and its many ecosystems.
In 2007 he undertook the first long-distance swim across the North Pole, wearing just Speedo swimming trunks, to highlight the melting of the Arctic sea ice.
He followed this up with a swim across a glacial lake on Mount Everest to draw attention to the melting glaciers in the Himalayas.
In 2018 Lewis became the first person to swim the 528km length of the English Channel.
Lewis’ driving purpose is to protect our oceans.
In 2016 he played a pivotal role in creating the largest marine reserve in the world in the Ross Sea off Antarctica. The media coined the term “Speedo Diplomacy” to describe his efforts swimming in the icy waters of Antarctica and shuttling between the USA and Russia to help negotiate the final agreement.
Lewis has been instrumental in protecting over 2 million km2 of vulnerable ocean – an area larger than Western Europe. His dream is to fully protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030
Lewis has received a number of awards for his work. He was selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He was chosen as one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the Year. And he was awarded South Africa’s highest honour the Order of Ikhamanga (Gold Class).
Lewis Pugh – Keynote Speaker:
Lewis Pugh is a vivid storyteller.
He talks about the methods he uses – a clear vision, choosing the right team, meticulous preparation, the right mind-set, never quitting, and changing when circumstances dictate.
TED describe him as a “master story-teller” and his speech at the 2008 Business Innovation Forum in Rhode Island was voted as one of the “7 Most Inspiring Speeches on the Web”.
Speaking topics include:
- How to achieve the “impossible”
- Vision
- Preparation
- Teamwork
- Excellence
- Motivation
- Leadership
- Change
- Risk
- Mind-set
- Protecting the environment
Lewis Pugh speaking titles include:
- How do we achieve the impossible? For companies that have set massive targets and need the strategy and inspiration to get to the next level.
- How do we change? For organisations that know they need to adapt in a fast-changing world.
- How can we work more effectively as a team? For multi-nationals that operate with teams made up of many different cultures and backgrounds.
- How do we attain excellence? Popular with leadership teams who are working in developing economies.
